This invention relates to watches and aquariums in general, and more specifically to a combination watch and aquarium for housing and displaying living creatures.
Kids love pets. For some children, pets serve as friends, confidants, items of affection and items of consolation. For other children, pets take the place of brothers or sisters they never had or will have.
One of the easiest types of pets to take care of are fish. Fish will generally live for a long time as long as they are fed regularly and provided with a clean and healthy environment. One example of an aquatic pet that has been providing children with years of enjoyment is the inventor""s own Sea Monkeys(copyright).
Aquatic pets, however, tend to have one major drawback to providing round the clock enjoyment. They must be kept in a large tank sufficient to support their life. Such tank is usually stationary, kept in one particular location. Thus, children, and also some adults for that matter, are usually left to dreaming about fish playtime when sitting at school or congregating at a friend""s house. Often times, children are left to fixate on their watch, counting down the hours, minutes and finally seconds until they can get back to playtime with the fishes.
There is a need, therefore, for a means to allow fish lovers and the like to enjoy their aquatic friends xe2x80x9cround the clock,xe2x80x9d so to speak. Such need is met by the watch of the present invention, which is adapted to contain and display live aquatic pets while worn on the wrist of the user, while at the same time providing the user with the time of day. Such need is more particularly met by the watch system of the invention, which is provided with a watch and aquatic pet life adapted to be displayed in such watch.
The watch system of the present invention differs significantly from the prior art, which is limited to supporting and displaying ornamental life, not actual life. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,736 to Lee discloses a sealed, fluid-filled container detachably attached to a wristwatch for housing ornamental objects. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,292 to Reynoso, the watch dials are immersed in a fluid adapted to contain ornamental floating articles such as fake divers and fake fish. Neither the Lee nor Reynoso aquatic environments are suitable for the introduction and continued support of aquatic pet life. Ornamental aquatic life in a timepiece is also displayed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,272,681 and 5,850,373 both to Lee.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a watch that is constructed and adapted to support aquatic pet life.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a watch having an aquarium that is adapted to support aquatic pet life.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a watch having an aquarium whereby a user can view the time displayed on the watch through the living environment of the aquarium.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a watch having a detachable aquarium that is adapted for the introduction and removal of aquatic life therefrom.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a watch system having a time piece, a detachable aquarium and aquatic pet life adapted to be housed within said aquarium.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a life-supporting aquarium adapted for engagement with a wristwatch.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will become clear upon review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the appended drawings.
A timepiece is provided with a removably attachable aquarium adapted to support aquatic life. The aquarium is provided with a plug that seals the aquarium and permits the introduction of aquatic life into the aquarium. Once aquatic life is introduced into the aquarium, the aquarium is attached to the timepiece and a wearer of such timepiece is then able to contemporaneously tell time and enjoy watching the aquatic life. A kit is also provided with a timepiece, an aquarium and aquatic life adapted to be supported in said aquarium.